Bangkok, Sep 29 (AP): At least 49 people were killed and 58 others injured after an airstrike by Myanmar’s military near a market in Rakhine State, according to the Arakan Army and a local rescue official.
The attack took place on Monday in Kyauktaw township, an area controlled by the powerful Arakan Army. The incident is the latest in a series of deadly airstrikes reported across Myanmar amid the country’s ongoing conflict.
Airstrike Hits Area Near Local Market
According to the Arakan Army, a fighter jet dropped two bombs near a local market around noon. The group said vendors, shoppers and pedestrians were among those killed and injured.
Of the 58 people reported injured, 22 were said to be in critical condition.
Wai Hun Aung, a senior rescue official in Rakhine, confirmed the reported casualties to The Associated Press, citing rescue workers at the scene. He said the market is an important wholesale centre that attracts traders and shoppers from different parts of the state.
Buildings and Vehicles Damaged
Photos and videos shared on social media showed buildings on fire, damaged vehicles and parts of a nearby bridge destroyed following the attack.
The Myanmar military had not immediately commented on the incident. The military has previously said that its airstrikes target legitimate military positions and has accused resistance groups of terrorism.
Details of the latest attack could not be independently verified.
Arakan Army Controls Much of Rakhine
The Arakan Army (AA) is the armed wing of a movement seeking greater autonomy for Rakhine’s ethnic minority from Myanmar’s central government.
The group launched a major offensive in Rakhine in November 2023. Since then, it has captured a strategically important regional military headquarters and 14 of the state’s 17 townships, according to the report.
Conflict Worsens Food Shortages
Fighting in Rakhine has also disrupted trade and transportation. The Myanmar military has imposed restrictions on major trade routes, contributing to worsening food shortages and humanitarian difficulties in the region.
The latest attack follows another deadly airstrike in Rakhine. In December, a military airstrike on a hospital in Mrauk-U township reportedly killed at least 34 people and injured 80 others.
Myanmar Conflict Continues
Myanmar has remained in political and armed conflict since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021.
The military’s crackdown on widespread protests led many opponents to take up arms. The conflict has since expanded across large parts of the country, involving pro-democracy resistance groups and ethnic armed organisations.
